A family restaurant in a seaside town is closing its doors after more than a decade of operation. La Tabella Italian restaurant in Churchtown Village, Southport, will shut permanently this weekend.
A Family Affair
The restaurant is run by landlord-turned-restaurateur Rob Smallman, who, when it opened, described the venue as being run by a family of staff, for families. The popular Southport figure, who previously ran Rueters Bar and Grill in the town centre, launched La Tabella in February 2014.
After years in the bar trade, Rob sought a change of direction and found it in Churchtown. At the time, he said: “I worked for Joe Brennan at Roberto’s when I was a teenager in the 1980s, and I fell in love with Italian food. When it was time to move on from Rueters, I knew it had to be Italian.
“My son Daniel is the head chef, and Peter Gallagher is my manager and runs the restaurant. Peter worked for me at Rueters. I look on the team at La Tabella as a family.”
A Focus on Quality and Value
Rob believed he had identified a market for reasonably priced fresh Italian food in the village, with an emphasis on quality and price. He added: “We want people to be able to treat themselves to a meal at La Tabella without breaking the bank. The restaurant is very busy on Sundays, particularly with families. And that is what I wanted for La Tabella.
“Looking back, I am glad to have made the break from Rueters when I did. I now work fewer hours, work with a lovely team of people and serve nice people. The business is geared toward repeat custom, and we like to see customers at least once a month. We know our regulars, and have received a lot of support from the community so far.
“And Churchtown village provides us with a great location for a family restaurant. Some of our customers go for a drink first in one of the pubs, and then call in.”
Closure Announcement
However, fast forward to today and a very different picture is painted. The venue, at 48 Botanic Road, will close for the last time on Sunday, June 21, 2026.
Owners Rob and Dan said: “After 12 and a half amazing years, we have made the incredibly difficult decision to close La Tabella. Despite our best efforts to navigate the challenges of the current climate, we will be closing our doors for the final time on Sunday 21st June 2026.
“To all of our customers, thank you for your loyalty, support, and memories over the years. We are truly grateful to everyone who has been part of our journey. Thank you from all of us at La Tabella.”
The Wine Window Legacy
Two years ago, the restaurant unveiled the first ever “wine window” in Merseyside, believed to be just the second one in the UK. Wine windows are a famous heritage feature of Florence, the capital of Tuscany.
Titled ‘Churchtown’s Finestra Del Vino’, customers were invited to walk up and ‘please knock for service’. It was inspired by Dan and his wife Arianne’s honeymoon in Florence. At the time, Dan said: “We loved seeing all the wine windows they had in the city.
“It was a really fun thing to do, walking up, knocking on the window and being served with a couple of glasses of delicious wine. We thought it would be a really lovely thing to bring back home for people here to enjoy.”
